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Exciting opportunity to drive financial operations at ESA, Europe’s gateway to space
Overview
Salary
No salary declared 😔
Location
Paris, FR
Expires
Expires at anytime
Organisation summary
The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe's premier organization for space exploration. With a €8.3 billion budget and a 6000-strong workforce, it is shaping the future of space capability in the continent, delivering far-reaching benefits on a global scale.
Role Summary
- Under the Director General’s guidance, the Director oversees finance, procurement, and controlling
- Contributes to ESA’s overall objectives
- Participates in the ESA Executive Board.
Role Requirements
- 10+ years of experience in similar executive level roles
- Expertise in financial management, business management, procurement and stakeholder negotiations
- A master's in finance, procurement, economics, or business administration coupled with technical expertise
- Experience in managing substantial budgets and teams in an international context
- In-depth knowledge of public spending and programming
The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe's gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. ESA’s annual budget for 2026 is €8.3 billion, with a workforce of around 6000 comprising staff and contractors.
The role: Under the direct authority of the Director General, the Director of Controlling, Finance, and Operational Procurement is responsible for contributing to ESA-wide management, supporting the ESA Director General in the discharging of all relevant responsibilities and tasks and participating in the pursuit of ESA’s overall objectives. The Director is a member of the ESA Executive Board and supports the Director General’s leadership of ESA at senior management level.
Job requirements: More than 10 years’ experience in similar senior management positions at executive level, and in the management of teams and programmes of significant size in terms of budget and human resources preferably in an international context. Executive level leadership and professional experience in financial management and controlling. Proven experience in business management, including the ability to develop innovative strategies to increase operational efficiency, and to build strong relationship with key stakeholders to drive successful business outcomes. In-depth knowledge of and experience with procurement and contractual policies. Experience in negotiating with internal and external stakeholders.
Education: Applicants for this post should have a master's in a financial and/or procurement, and/or economics and/or business administration domain, optimally coupled with a high level of expertise in technical subjects and in-depth knowledge of and proven experience in the execution and management of public spending and programmes, preferably acquired in an international setting.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness: ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.
